MATCHMAKING IN THE CORRAL

The choice of the optimal bull is essential. OptiBull supports farmer and consultant in the choice of the optimal bull. OptiBull takes a lot of factors into account: ancestry and relationships, deficits in performance like milk yield or milk content as well as milking speed, somatic cell count and fertility. Additionally, the type traits of the cow like stature and characteristics of feet and legs like foot angle, heel depth or hock are gathered. Special attention is paid to the udder. Traits like udder depth, fore udder attachment, teat placement as well as teat length and teat thickness are important for classification and consultation.

OptiBull makes it possible to acquire all relevant data: As app for the consultant right behind the cow or as web application for the farmer in the office. Thus the optimal bull for each cow is found quickly and easily.

USE OF OPTIBULL

OptiBull can be used without a lot of effort by each farmer on the internet. The best use of OptiBull is in combination with mating consultation via the breeding association, insemination station or dairy herd improvement association. There is an additional app for mating consultants in Bavaria for this usage scenario, which permits to acquire deficits in performance and type as well as desired improvements directly in the corral. The data is transmitted to the database and taken into account by OptiBull in selecting the optimal bull for the mating. Right now more than 4,000 farms in Bavaria and Austria use OptiBull in its many capabilities.

MANAGEMENT OF HEREDITARY DEFECTS – REDUCTION OF CALF LOSSES

Hereditary defects often result in still births, miscarriages, deformations, pain and suffering for the affected animals. OptiBull uses the central breeding data bases of the Dairy Herd Improvement Associations and thus has at any time access to all informations about the bulls and the ancestry of the cow. In case of a risky mating OptiBull gives a warning. The program shows the hereditary defect and flags it with a color-code. Yellow means that a damaged animal will be born with a probability of 3.1 % or higher. For animals with a red mark, the probability is more than 6.25 %.

ESSENTIAL PARTS OF THE PROGRAM

individual settings for each farm (e. g. breed, minimum age for cattle, weighting of breeding value)

avoidance of inbreeding by excluding bulls with a close relationship

comparison with other farms about the actual breeder’s level of the herd

the pool of bulls for the farm can be created individually

display of breeding deficits of each animal in performance and type

easily interpreted graphics for analysis of assets and deficits of the recommended bulls